The Australian Olympic Committee supported the exploration of a 2028 Olympic bid by Southeast Queensland on Friday.
“We look forward to working with you on this project of national and international significance,” Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates said in a letter to the area’s mayors.
Brisbane is the capital of Queensland and is in the southeast portion of the state, but the bid could be a regional one under the International Olympic Committee’s Agenda 2020 reforms.
Gold Coast, which hosted swimming’s Pan Pacific Championships in August, is also in Southeast Queensland.
Australia’s two biggest cities of Sydney and Melbourne hosted the Olympics in 2000 and 1956, respectively. Brisbane, the nation’s third-largest city, bid for the 1992 Olympics but came in third place to Barcelona.
Australia has not bid for the Olympics since Sydney hosted in 2000.
The 2028 Olympic host city likely won’t be chosen until 2021. The 2024 Olympic host city will be chosen in 2017.